SLIP FLOAT SETUP FOR THE SLOP

[Slip Sinker]

Just about all summer long ive been fishing a shallow water slop weed pattern for some quality sized fish. Slip floating in shallow weed choked areas with UL spinning gear , small floats and tiny waxie baits. Ive used rods as short as five foot and as long as seven. I found a comfortable home at 5-6’. Just feels right and is very accurate with the casting. No long pole needed here… project, flip and cast this small float accurately with stealth into those weed pocket openings and edges. One of the most important items on this setup list is the braid… it cuts thru the weed stalks and pads like a thin cheese slicer. You might as well stay at home if you insist on using the mono because of its stretch it will wrap around the weeds and you will lose fish!! another very important item is the bait Use the Waxies!! they stay on the hook as you pulling thru the weeds otherwise you will be replacing your cricket on every cast or flip.

some of the areas you should be targeting should look like this... the thicker the better.

most of the time im flipping or making short casts into pockets, openings or tight edges. do not forget the shoreline is an edge you'd be surprised how tight they get to the bank!

[John Sheehan]

Yes ,you talking braid and I lost three fish yesterday when I should have been using it . I've been stubborn Slip ,and using up the surplus of mono I own . Gonna have to heed your word and set up some outfits with braid. Please explain the 20# Dacron .Is that a short leader ?

[Slip Sinker]

it is the material i use to tie the slip float knot instead of buying the pretied knots for stops... its just a personal preference.

[John Sheehan]

oh thanks , I'm still using eagle claw rubber stops,. 6# braid has what ,the diameter of 2# test mono?

[Slip Sinker]

Power pro says 1.5... about 75% less than mono...very surprised how it slices thru the weeds

[Slip Sinker]

i meant to say 

"Power pro says 1.5... about 75% less than mono...very impressed how it slices thru the weeds"

[Leo Nguyen]

Great diagram layout. I use similar, but much smaller float, such as the Thill Super Shy Bite float to ensure I don't create too much drag weight to prevent salad catches.

I also use a few methods on the circle and sickle hooks for weed guarding. That's an area screaming for, "Salad dressing time!!"

[Slip Sinker]

thanks Leo!

i really like the pro series of Thill floats for their quiet entry and accuracy... yeah if you can get away with tinier the better.

i agree sickle and circle hooks ... i use in both systems in the weeds ... in deeper weed beds i use this system...

Slip Float Bush Whack Rig

the inherent weedless properties of the circle hook pull the bait past the weeds on its decent with less tangles in the weeds than normal hooks. i like the sickle style hooks with a quicker strike in the shorter weeds but the circle hook would work just as well but a different hook set on fish bites.

im always experimenting with different hooks in varying conditions.

[Gary Boysen]

I'm late to join this discussion, Slip, but I'm learning. This is great info. Thank you!!

[Kelly Peterson]

Slip, could you tell me how you tie in that circle or sickle hook on your drop shot rig above?

Also are you tying direct to the braid or using a fluorocarbon leader?

Thanks

[Kelly Peterson]

Ok, now I see how the hook stands away from line by running the dropper line through the hook eye after the Palomr knot-cool and thanks.

[Slip Sinker]

… yep it's a mini drop shot rig with a slip float above the hook... i use the Palomar knot as shn below...

i never use a leader off Super-Lines are  at least 4 times thinner than the leader material itself. mono or floro

circle hook on this rig really slips past the weeds well as weight pulls it thru.

[Kelly Peterson]

If one can't use circle hooks what would be your next choice, sickle hooks or long shank Aberdeen gold or red hooks?

Also what size on the hooks?

Never have fished the thick cover-never knew how to fish it till now. Thanks!